As Geoff Parling lay groggy and helpless on the floor next to a hospital toilet, clad in surgical underwear, waiting in vain for a nurse to come to his aid, it struck him as an emphatic comedown from the high of the Lions tour.

The Leicester lock, 30, savoured a career peak last summer when he played in all three Tests in Australia as Warren Gatland's tourists claimed an historic series win.

Having come on as a replacement in the first encounter with the Wallabies, Parling was promoted to the starting XV in Melbourne and Sydney and his tap-tackle on Jesse Mogg was a feature of the decider, won 41-16 by the rampant visitors.

Injuries subsequently struck many heroes of that tour but Parling's was a grim predicament by any standards. Having damaged one shoulder in the narrow defeat by New Zealand at Twickenham in November, he opted to have both operated on at the same time. Cue the slip-up which left him to reflect on his changing fortunes.

'I had both arms in slings, I was wearing my little paper pants and I needed a wee in the night,' he said. 'So I rang the nurse because she had to help me get up, went to the toilet, she left, and because I was woozy from the anaesthetic, I fell over in the toilet.

Focused: Parling out in front as England warm up at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on Friday

'I was lying on the floor in my paper
pants and I couldn't pull the emergency cord. I was lying there for
about 10 minutes just shouting "Help!" and thinking, "Well, this is a
bit different from what was happening in the summer".'

The indignities didn't end when he left hospital. Parling's wife Elle, who had given birth to their daughter May Rose during the Lions tour, had to divide her time between looking after their baby and her husband. 'My missus was having to set the alarm to get me dressed and then she'd see to the baby,' he added.

After that surgical interruption to his season, Parling could have been excused for doubting whether he would recover in time for England's tour of New Zealand, especially since Joe Launchbury and Courtney Lawes formed a supreme 6 Nations second-row partnership in his absence. Instead, he was convinced his recovery and recall would come.

'As long as you can see yourself getting better, that is the main thing - progressing and not slipping back,' said Parling. 'If the injury was getting worse, that's when you might have a dark time, but I always had the belief that if I could get back fit, get a run in the (Leicester) team, then you have to back yourself.

'I was always aiming to help Leicester at the tail-end of the season but nothing is ever taken for granted about getting back into the Leicester team. There is always someone younger aiming for a place. Ed Slater is a good example of that.'

Parling's feat in reclaiming a place in the Tigers line-up was considerable, given the presence of high-class rival locks Slater, Louis Deacon and Graham Kitchener. From there, he has kicked on to c and the line-out specialist was sufficiently impressive to hold off the challenge of Lawes and retain his place for Saturday's second Test against the All Blacks.

A significant factor in the England coaches' decision to keep Parling was his impact as a leader in the ranks, supporting captain Chris Robshaw. It was noticeable in the immediate aftermath of the Eden Park game that he was vocal and animated in the team huddle.

Influence: Farrell will have to be at his best if England are to level the series

Asked if his Lions experience had helped him to develop in that regard, Parling said: 'Maybe a little bit, especially when you're with a young group of players. I don't want to seem like an old boy but when you are with the young lads and maybe have a bit more experience of games like this and the pressures, which were similar to last year's, then it helps. It's a good environment. If people want to say something then they can. I'm more than happy to say something.'

As Parling and his team-mates prepared to renew hostilities with the world champions, forwards coach Graham Rowntree acclaimed his contribution and the welcome scenario of having Lawes to emerge from the bench.

'Geoff is a Lion, he's very experienced and is a good voice around the group,' he said. 'He's a great leader and to have him available for that game last week when Courtney wasn't around was brilliant. Having both in a match-day squad is a luxury for me.'

The luxury for Parling is altogether different - not needing help to go to the toilet, not having to wear paper pants, the freedom to move his arms and the joy of representing his country once more. Now what he craves is more success in the southern hemisphere.

Group hug: The England team gather during the England captain's run at Forsyth Barr Stadium